Guide

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Replika

Replika is an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot companion that its developers claim users can form an actual emotional connection with. Once users have created an account and chosen a 3D avatar, they select the type of relationship they want with the chatbot: friend, mentor or romantic partner. Using a neural network to hold an ongoing one-on-one conversation, Replika gradually becomes more like the user as it gathers data from their responses. It isn’t the only AI chatbot app available, but Replika pushes the boundaries of the concept to offer a highly realistic conversational experience.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as possible addiction, inappropriate content and in-app purchases.

Fortnite

First released in 2017, Fortnite has become one of the most popular games in the world. It currently has around 350 million registered players. Developed by Epic Games, it began life exclusively as a ‘battle royale’ contest, where up to 100 online player characters would fight – with weaponry including rifles, handguns and rocket launchers – to be the last one standing. Today, it features multiple modes which each offer something different (although some modes, such as ‘Save the World’, are only available on certain platforms).

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as scams, in-app purchases and user-controlled content.

Setting up new Devices for children

At Christmas, millions of lucky children will be excitedly ripping the wrapping off new phones, tablets, computers or consoles. However, in the rush to let young ones enjoy their shiny gadgets, many parents neglect to set these devices up safely – increasing the chances of children going online and stumbling across adult content, making expensive downloads or installing unsuitable apps. A little time configuring the device properly can save a lot of anguish later. Here are our top tips to ensure that a dream gift on Christmas morning doesn’t turn into a nightmare by New Year.

In the guide, you'll find tips such as adjusting the screen time settings, setting windows limits and installing Xbox family settings.

Make the most of the online world this Christmas

The holidays are coming! With school almost over, it’s a chance for some family time. Prising children away from screens can be tricky, so click the poster to see some top tips for making the most of the online world this Christmas!

AGE-INAPPROPRIATE Content

A free online safety guide on age-inappropriate content.

“Inappropriate” means different things to different people. What’s acceptable for one age group, for example, may be unsuitable for a slightly younger audience. Online, young people can chance upon inappropriate content in various way – from pop-up ads to TikTok videos. The increasingly young age at which children become active in the digital world heightens the risk of them innocently running into something that they find upsetting or frightening. Trusted adults need to be able to help children be aware of what to do if they’re exposed to age-inappropriate content.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as social media, gaming and adverts.

Ways to share kindness online

Last year, around one in five children aged 10–15 in England and Wales admitted experiencing online bullying: most commonly being insulted or sworn at, or having hurtful messages sent about them. To a child who’s being bullied, the world can seem like a bleak, negative place – but just one kind word can be a ray of hope: a turning point that brightens someone’s day and resets their perspective. That’s why ‘One Kind Word’ is the theme of Anti-Bullying Week 2021. We’re supporting this year’s event by bringing you ten top tips for beating online bullying by replacing it with kindness.

In the guide, you'll find tips such as reaching out, thinking before commenting and recommending fun things.

The Squid Game

A free online safety guide on Squid Game.

With themes of horror and violence, it’s important for parents and carers to understand the potential risks posed to young audiences by the nine-episode Netflix-exclusive TV show, Squid Game. The series, rated 15+, is about a world where contestants who are deeply in debt play children's games in order to win cash prizes. The losers, however, are violently killed. The show’s popularity has meant it has spread in various guises across online platforms, with a heightened risk of children and young people potentially viewing unsuitable content. That's why we've created this guide to help parents and carers understand exactly what Squid Game is all about.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as inappropriate content, viral spin-offs and scene re-enactments.

What Parents Need to Know About TikTok

A free online safety guide on TikTok.

TikTok is a video-sharing social media app which lets people create, view and download looping 15-second clips. Typically, these are videos of users lip-syncing and dancing to popular songs or soundbites (often for comic purposes), enhanced with filters, effects and text. Designed with young people in mind, TikTok skyrocketed in popularity in 2019 and has featured near the top of download charts ever since. It now has around 1 billion active users worldwide.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as age-inappropriate content, addiction and in-app spending.

Roblox

A free online safety guide on Roblox.

With more than 150 million users worldwide, Roblox is one of the most popular video games of recent times. Roblox allows users to create their own gaming experiences using Roblox Studio: building levels and games then allowing other people to play them. Similarly, players can play each other’s creations, either on their own or with other people online. While it’s a tool that can help foster creative thinking, Roblox is also intermittently in the news amid concerns over young users’ safety.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as in-app purchases, online dating and chat functionality.

This is part of our Gaming, Online Platforms and Online Relationships categories.